Endowments portfolio sees shortened tenures across Telugu states
HYDERABAD: Endowments ministers in both Telugu states have rarely completed a full term in office, with Telangana’s P Indrakaran Reddy emerging as the notable exception, as reported by TOI.
The latest exit of Konda Surekha from the Telangana cabinet has revived focus on the decades-old pattern surrounding the portfolio. The list of ministers who had curtailed tenures includes Andhra Pradesh’s first woman minister TN Sadalakshmi, former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao and C Ramachandraiah, the last endowments minister of united Andhra Pradesh.
The trend dates back to the 1960s and continued after bifurcation, with frequent changes and controversies surrounding the endowments portfolio in residual Andhra Pradesh. Telangana, however, saw Indrakaran Reddy hold the portfolio through both BRS governments from 2014 until 2023.
Sadalakshmi was first woman to handle endowments
Sadalakshmi served as endowments minister from 1962 to 1964 in the Neelam Sanjiva Reddy cabinet, becoming the first woman to hold the portfolio.
A vocal supporter of separate Telangana, Sadalakshmi pushed reforms in temple administration, including priestly training for Dalits. Her initiatives faced opposition from a section, and she was shifted to the social welfare portfolio after about a year.
PV Narasimha Rao took charge of endowments in 1964 under K Brahmananda Reddy and continued in the portfolio until the 1967 elections. After a new cabinet was formed, Rao was given the health portfolio.
Political turbulence in the early 1970s shortened several tenures. R Ramalinga Raju was endowments minister during K Brahmananda Reddy’s tenure and quit along with the cabinet in 1971 as the separate Telangana movement gained momentum.
MS Murthy, who took charge under PV Narasimha Rao in 1972, lasted about 10 months before resigning during the Jai Andhra movement.
Political instability kept disrupting the portfolio
The instability continued through subsequent Congress governments and the administrations between 1978 and 1983, with ministers unable to complete their tenures as governments and cabinets changed.
During NT Rama Rao’s first stint as chief minister, endowments minister E Anjaneyulu died in office in 1983. Veerabhadra Rao then took charge, but political upheaval following NTR’s temporary removal from office resulted in another short-lived tenure.
Simhadi Satyanarayana came closest to completing a full term. He handled the portfolio from 1985 to 1989 under NTR and returned to it after the 1994 elections. His second stint lasted about nine months after NTR lost control of the TDP following the 1995 revolt.
The pattern continued during Chandrababu Naidu’s second term. Damodara Anjaneyulu handled endowments from 1999 to 2001 before a cabinet reshuffle. Dandu Sivaramaraju succeeded him and remained in charge until 2004.
During YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s first term, M Satyanarayana Rao handled endowments from 2004 to 2005. He was shifted after controversy over allegations concerning endowments lands.
Jupally Krishna Rao took charge in 2009 and continued until 2011, when he resigned during the Telangana movement.
C Ramachandraiah became the last endowments minister of united Andhra Pradesh, serving from 2012 to 2014 under Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Divided Andhra Pradesh saw similar changes
After bifurcation, P Manikyala Rao handled endowments in Andhra Pradesh from 2014 to 2018 under Chandrababu Naidu. He resigned along with fellow BJP minister Kamineni Srinivas after the TDP withdrew from the National Democratic Alliance over the special category status issue.
KE Krishnamurthy succeeded him but handled the portfolio for just over a year before the government changed in 2019.
Vellampalli Srinivas served as endowments minister from 2019 to 2022 under YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. His tenure was marked by criticism, and he was dropped during a cabinet reshuffle.
In Telangana, meanwhile, Indrakaran Reddy remained in charge through both BRS governments, making his tenure an exception to the pattern that has otherwise persisted across the Telugu states.
